Russian seaports’ eight-month cargo volume rises 4.2% to 387.2 million tonnes
Shipments of cargo through the Russian seaports in January-August increased by 4.2% year-on-year to 387,200,000 tonnes, the ASOP data showed.
The eight-month volume of dry bulk cargo was flat on last year’s figure at 166.5 million tonnes. The increase was driven mainly by coal and mineral fertilizer exports, 67,4 mln tonnes (+16.4%) and 8.3m tonnes (+14.2%), respectively. Container traffic increased by 3.6% to 29.3 mln tonnes. Shipments of ferrous metals totaled 15.0 mln tonnes (-16.0%), of grain – 8.6m tonnes (down 1.9 times), of ore – 4.9 mln tonnes (-0.9%), timber cargo – 3.0 mln tonnes (-29.2%).
Shipments of liquid bulk through the nation’s ports totaled 220.7 million tonnes, which represents a 7.4% gain from a year earlier, including 137.1 million tonnes of crude exports (+6.6%).
In the reporting period the Russian ports saw a 3.0-percent growth in exports compared to January-August 2012, to 302.9 million tonnes. Imports rose 6.6% to 31.3 million tonnes. Transshipment of transit cargo increased 6.8% to 31.4 mln tonnes, short sea traffic volume was up 14.1% year-on-year.
In the reporting period, stevedoring companies of the Arctic basin handled 31.1 million tonnes of cargoes, a 30.3% growth as compared with January-August 2012. Shipments of dry bulk cargo through the terminals of the Russian northern region was up 1.1% to 16.3 mln tonnes, liquid bulk volume increased by 1.9 times to 14.8 mln tonnes driven primarily by growing shipments through Belokamenka FSO. The port of Arkhangelsk’s cargo throughput shrank by 9.4% to 3.2 mln tonnes, cargo traffic at the port of Murmansk surged 41.8% to 20.5 mln tonnes, Vitino port’s throughput fell 10.8% to 3.2 mln tonnes, oil exports through Varandey terminal rose 2.4 times, to 3.5 mln tonnes.
In January-August, the Baltic Sea-based Russian ports moved 141.7 million tonnes of different cargoes, up 3.7% from last year’s mark, including 53.9 million tonnes of dry bulk (+7.7%), 87.8 million tonnes of liquid bulk (+1.4%). Port of Ust-Luga traffic soared 36.9% to 40.1 million tonnes. Port of Vysotsk cargo throughput totaled 11.0 mln tonnes (+29.1%), trade flows through the port of Kaliningrad rose 10.8% to 9.3 million tonnes. Cargo throughput at Primorsk terminal fell 16.0% to 69.4 million tonnes. Big Port St. Petersburg cargo volume fell 2.7% to 37.8 million tonnes.
In the reporting period total cargo throughput at the ports of Azov-Black Sea basin was 113.2 million tonnes (-2.4%). Dry bulk cargo shipments declined by 13.6% to 38.9 million tonnes, due to grain exports decline. Liquid bulk traffic rose to 74.3 million tonnes (+4.6%). Handling of cargo at the Port of Novorossiysk totaled 75.3 mln tonnes, (-4.7%). Cargo traffic at the port of Tuapse shrank by 7.4% to 11.0 tonnes, at the port of Rostov-on-Don – 6.8 mln t (-4.8%), at the port of Kavkaz - 4.7 mln t (-16.4%). The port of Taman transshipped 5.4 mln tonnes of cargo.
The Caspian Sea-based Russian ports transshipped 5.5 million tonnes, a 23.1-percent drop year-on-year due to a 38.1% slump in dry bulk segment - 2.1 million tonnes and a 10% drop in liquid bulk volume – 3.4 million tonnes. Cargo shipments through the ports of Astrakhan and Makhachkala fell 28.7% and 14.2%, accordingly. The port of Olya reported a threefold slump in eight-month cargo volumes.
In January-August, the ports of the Far Eastern basin handled 95.6 million tonnes (+8.7%). Shipments of dry bulk cargo through the region’s ports rose 6.9% to 55.2 million tonnes, of liquid bulk - 11.3% to 40.5 million tonnes. Vostochny port handled 32.1 million tonnes (+16.4%). Port Vanino throughput rose 22.9% to 16.1 million tonnes. Stevedore companies of the Port of Nakhodka transshipped 12.1 mln tonnes (+8.4%). The Port of Vladivostok handled 12.2 mln tonnes (+5.0) of different cargo. The port of Prigorodnoye cargo volume was 2.3% down to 10.7 mln tonnes. Cargo shipments via the port of De Kastri dropped by 7.7% to 4.5 million tonnes, the Port Posiet freight volume was 5,9% below last year’s level at 3.7 mln tonnes.
Association of Commercial Sea Ports (ASOP) was founded in 1987. Currently ASOP unites more than 50 Russian organizations and enterprises of maritime transport. The Association includes commercial sea ports, forwarding and agency companies, research institutes and maritime transport schools. The outcome data of the Russian port complex is based on statistical reports, covering all stevedoring companies operating in the country. Complete statistics is presented in the quarterly report of ASOP "Cargo traffic at the ports of Russia, CIS and Baltic countries."